How to Make Your Small Bedroom Feel Larger

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Small Bedrooms Don’t Equal Small Furniture:

One of the biggest mistakes that most people make when decorating small rooms is to clutter it with lots of small pieces. By filling a small room with lots of tiny side tables, skinny little lamps, and small dressers – you are creating a room that feels crowded and even smaller than before.  A small room of any kind needs one or two large pieces of furniture that act as a focal point and make the room actually feel larger! A large armoire is one of the best furniture items to add to your small bedroom space; they give you tons of storage and their height and size draws the eye in and up, making the space feel large.

A small bedroom needs plenty of colors:

Color is your friend no matter how small or large the room is.  The key essential to keep in mind when choosing a color for a small room is to keep your color choices down to one or two main colors for the room – you can’t have a rainbow of colors in a small room without overwhelming the eye. The good news is that you can choose whatever color your heart desires! Choose that vibrant blue or red paint; coat every wall and piece of trim in the color (or two hues of the same color) to make a serene room that your eyes float over. Bright red walls with white trim can be pretty but is better left to larger rooms as it causes a disjointing and makes a room visually smaller.

Try these 4 Easy Decorating Ideas for your Small Apartment too!

Small Bedroom seating is still important:

No matter how small, every bedroom should have a nook carved out for reading or relaxing. Add a slipper chair, a reading lamp, and bookcase to create a cozy retreat within your room.

Hopefully, this opens up new possibilities for decorating your small bedroom.  Here’s one more tip: a large, fabric tufted headboard covered in similar hues as the paint color, adds a nice finishing touch to the retreat of your dreams. Happy dreaming!

For more bedroom & living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Creative Ways to Save Money on Outdoor Furniture

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Save money on outdoor furniture at yard sales

Whether you’re checking ads in your local paper, sifting through items on Craigslist, or using a yard-sale app like Rumgr to find private citizens selling outdoor furniture in your area, this tactic could help you to find amazing deals on the pieces you want for your outdoor space. Sure they might be slightly used, but sometimes you can get them for the fabulous price of “you haul” (read: free). And even if you have to shell out a few bucks to paint pieces or buy new cushions you’ll still save a ton over brand new furniture.

Sample sales can find you deals on patio furniture

Many women rush to sample sales for their favorite fashion designers, but have no idea that furniture stores frequently pull the same stunt in an effort to clear out floor samples and replace them with new stock. So check in with your local patio furniture store to see if and when they are hosting sample sales. The pieces may have a little wear and tear from the showroom, but you’ll pay a fraction of the cost for virtually unused furnishings.

Discount warehouse stores

You may be aware that you can find many home goods at discount stores like Target and Wal-Mart, but you may not have realized that this often includes outdoor furniture. Besides the fact that you can get an entire outdoor setup at a great price, you may also have the option to buy items piecemeal so that you don’t have to overspend for items you don’t want and you can replace a piece that is damaged without having to buy the whole set again.

Online outlets for outdoor furniture

The internet offers a plethora of opportunities to save on just about any product you can think of, outdoor furniture included. And if you can find Cabelas promo codes for your hunting gear it’s a good bet that you can scope out online coupon codes for patio-furniture e-tailers. At the very least you’re bound to find sale items that aren’t in stores and even observe lower prices in general.

Looking for spring outdoor furniture? These outdoor furniture tips can help.

Outdoor Furniture Maintenance Tips:

You maintain your car through regular inspections, your home through regular cleaning, and even your body with a daily vitamin courtesy of coupon codes for Puritans Pride. So why wouldn’t you maintain your outdoor furniture? If you leave it exposed to the elements year-round then you shouldn’t be surprised when you have to replace it. Instead, keep it handy during the times of year when you actually use it and then cover it or move it into the garage the rest of the year. This will save you the time and expense of buying new items every summer.

For more outdoor living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

 25 Nautical Decor Ideas for your Creative Home

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1. Nautical Decor Color Scheme Ideas

There are a couple of different ways you can go when it comes to selecting a nautical color scheme. Although you might think that adopting a watery palette of green and blue is enough, nautical themes tend to be rather specific when it comes to colors. For example, you could elect to approach your project as if it were a beach home, in which case a white-on-white aesthetic would be the order of the day. Or you might lean more towards a yachting feel with yellow, white, navy blue, and hints of red in the color scheme. You might also go with an old school sailing vessel sort of feel complete with dark browns and maroons with gold accents. In short, the color scheme depends largely on the type of nautical theme you’re going for.

2. Beach Decor Walls and Flooring Ideas

When it comes to all things oceanic, you might not initially think that wood flooring is the way to go. But nautical styles nearly always emphasize wood, often in both flooring and walls, to mimic the look of ships or beach shanties. Both the beach cottage look and the yacht style will call for light-colored planks on the floor while the former will also require white-washed walls and exposed beams on the ceiling. And if you want to make a room look like the inside of a pirate’s vessel, surrounding yourself on all sides with dark wood paneling is a must.

We love these Nautical Decor Inspired Rooms from Elle Decor.

3. Coastal Inspired Linens

You can have some fun here depending on your theme. While the east coast beach house looks generally calls for a continuation of the whites, a naval or yachting theme could mean lots of blues (especially navy) or reds in the linen department. And if you’re going for a pirate motif, you’ll want all kinds of rich brocade, plush velvet, and stiff leather.

4. Nautical Furniture

Wood is definitely the order of the day for most nautical styles when it comes to adding furnishings. While beach styles tend to opt for light, faded woods (think the color of driftwood), you’ll want to opt for polished oak and mahogany numbers if you’re going for some sort of ship-like theme (like the items found at the coral cove, for example). But beach-house lovers will also want plush items upholstered in textiles similar to sailcloth while seating and tables for boat styles should be squat and sturdy (and upholstered in leather, in some cases).

HGTV has some creative nautical and beach theme decor here.

5. Beach Theme Decor Accessories

A nautical theme provides for a bevy of decorative accessories, from items related to marine life (seashells, starfish, etc.) to instruments you might find on a ship (globes, sextants, old-school charts/maps, and so on). And of course, you can always add nautical-inspired artwork to the mix with paintings of boats or seascapes.

20 Nautical Decor Ideas from our Blogger Friends

1. Nautical Baby Shower Banner from thecountrychiccottage.net
2. DIY Nautical Christmas Sign from iheartnaptime.net
3. Navy Officer Nautical Party from natalme.com
4. DIY Nautical Decor: Heart Rocks And Sea Glass Mobile from sustainmycrafthabit.com
5. How To Make A Nautical Throw Pillow With Felt Fabric from sustainmycrafthabit.com
6. DIY Nautical Patriotic Banner from houseofhawthornes.com
7. DIY Nautical Wall Mirror from acharmingproject.com
8. Make This: DIY Nautical Coasters from theshabbycreekcottage.com
9. Whale Wall Plaque for a Nautical Nursery from knockoffdecor.com
10. Nautical Themed Bathroom Design from thecountrychiccottage.net
11. Faux Fishing Weights for the Nautical Lover from knockoffdecor.com
12. An Old Mirror Gets a New Makeover from knockoffdecor.com
13. Nautical Lamp Makeover Using Rope from pastelsandmacarons.com
14. Nautical Compass Wreath For Summer from housefulofhandmade.com
15. 4th Of July Anchors Away Map Printable from littlegoldpixel.com
16. This Little Light Of Mine-DIY Printable Lighthouse Tealight Holder from littleluxuriesloft.com
17. Easy Nautical DIY Coasters from craftsbycourtney.com
18. DIY Hanging Fish Decor from craftingfingers.co.uk
19. Nautical Wall Decor from pastelsandmacarons.com
20. DIY Linen Napkins And Nautical Cable Napkin Rings from sustainmycrafthabit.com

For more nautical ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Yet this is ultimately a false dilemma – a fictitious “black and white” scenario. Truth be told, a home decor project doesn’t have to go over budget. In fact, there are a number of ways to end up with leftover allotted funds with these creative decorating ideas:

Decorating Ideas: Creative Ideas for Cheap Home Decor

Save money on painting ideas

Wall color dominates the look of a room. Change the paint and you can completely change the way a room feels when entered and enjoyed. The key, as far as pulling off a successful redecoration with just paint, is to select a color complementary to the existing furniture and accessories pallet. Just about every paint supplier has an online color selection tool; use one to find a shortlist of ideal hues.

Consumer Reports has a great article on how to save money on painting

In addition, consider using painter’s tape to easily achieve impressive paint patterns and shapes to transform the look of a room. Another inventive technique growing in popularity involves different colors for different walls – though this inherently involves buying more cans of paint.

Replacing furniture on a budget

Replacing furniture is perhaps the biggest money eater of most interior redecoration projects. That funky looking lime green chair and those glass end tables just don’t jive with any new design plan. For the sake of future redecoration projects, opt for furniture made to last in more ways than one. Companies such as Boyles furniture supplier pride themselves on durable pieces fitting a variety of decorating styles. It costs more in the short-term, but over time results in money saved as furniture isn’t being replaced every few years.

It may also prove useful to find ways to extend the life of seemingly worn out couches, chairs, and ottomans. Leather can be rejuvenated with oils, while a little sanding and painting can make tables and cabinets look brand new. Tweak these repairs to match the redecoration, or use the furniture to inspire a design.

Lighting ideas can help your interiors

Light is probably the most underrated aspect of interior design. Without light, we’d have a bunch of pitch black rooms and no way to see their design. Change the lighting in a room, and watch its look and feel transform instantaneously.

For instance, low key lighting can accentuate the details of a statue on a table or highlight a painting on the wall. Changes in white to yellow light are also shown to affect mood. Additionally, don’t forget about the greatest (and cheapest) source of light around – the sun. Plan the next home decor project with the path of the sun’s rays through the windows in mind to take advantage of natural lighting to the fullest.

If you’re trying to find out how much your home decorating project will cost, this Houzz article gives estimates.

Change furniture with the seasons

Switching out room decor with the seasons is the best way to avoid the look of a room from ever becoming stale. Taking advantage of timeless furniture selections and aforementioned techniques with paint and lighting can mean a simple swap of rug, curtains, and accessories can change a room almost entirely.

To save money, buy seasonally-inspired rugs, curtains, and accessories out of season. Within a year’s time, every season is covered. Afterward, rooms can be transformed four times a year for several years without any new purchases or changes.

Decorating ideas: considered used furniture too!

The classic way to save money on home decor is to buy used. However, finding the “diamond in the rough” – the used pieces worth buying for their genuine originality and sparkle – is more than a matter of visiting Goodwill when the time comes.

The key to finding gently used gems for a low-cost room redesign is to make a habit out of visiting resale shops regularly. Sure, it’s possible to find a gorgeous piece at a steal in one visit, but they aren’t all too common and when they’re put on the floor they’re gone almost instantly. Give it enough time, and those must-have used pieces of furniture will find you rather than the other way around.

There’s no need to let a room redecoration go over budget. Many paths exist for achieving unique interior design on the relative cheap. Give them a try to cut costs, boost motivation, and get the most out of each dollar spent on home decor.

For more home decorating ideas on Stagetecture, visit our archives.

How to Decorate your Home with Timeless Furniture

Choose a piece of bedroom furniture that resonates with you

Timeless furniture is only as good as the value you place in it. For me an antique canopy bed from my grandmother’s home could hold personal and sentimental meaning. For your home a modern Le Corbusier dresser and matching furniture could be more your style. Don’t get swayed by just looking in design magazines and perusing design blogs. Let them inspire you to choose bedroom furniture you love and holds meaning to you and your loved ones. Southern Living has an interesting article for choosing furniture by the scale of your room.

Look to custom furniture for your home office needs

Your home office is the perfectly place to show off your design style but it still needs to be functional and practical. Custom home office furniture is good for those who have a work at home profession or spend a lot of time at a desk. Custom options for crafting, surfing the Internet, or organizing photographs will need customizable solutions. You can hire a furniture craftsman or artisan to create a furniture piece for you, or consider using a traditional armoire or buffet table and put custom file organizers inside. This option is more affordable and if you visit your local organization or office supplies store you may be surprised at the options! Home Design Lover gives tips for choosing living room furniture that could be applied to your home office too.

Kids should have timeless furniture too!

The beauty of kids’ rooms is that they have no rules. Bunk beds that have unique configurations with matching futons are perfect for multi-age children who need to share a room. Bedroom furniture that fit a theme is common for kids furniture and should be a reflection of your child’s personality. A statement piece such as a bean bag chair, a dresser or even a rocking chair can bring a timeless appeal to your kids room, instantly.

For more furniture ideas on Stagetecture, see how to shop online furniture stores, here.

Garden Ideas to Enjoy your Home Garden this Season

Image via: House to Home

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Relaxing Home Garden Summer Ideas:

If you’re like me and lead a very busy lifestyle, juggling work and family life, gardens are ideal for getting away from it all, relaxing for a few moments after a long week. A hammock, hanging swing or lounge chair coupled with your drink of choice and even a good book can afford you the opportunity to be at one with nature. One handy piece of advice though is, when choosing a tree or branch on which to hang your garden furniture, check that these are sturdy and can safely carry your weight; employing a tree surgeon to make sure there are no rotten branches means that you can be certain your summer enjoyment will not be met with a surprise fall.

Taking out and dusting off the gloves and trowel, buried deep in the garden shed or garage after a long winter, also offer something to do whilst enjoying the garden this summer. Some of us are better than others at this, but the green fingered amongst us would argue that starting up a vegetable patch or tending to those flower beds is not only a good source of physical exercise but also an excellent way of relieving stress. Making this a part of your daily routine this summer can do wonders for your well-being, not to mention the sense of achievement you will feel when you pick your first green beans or tulips.

Image via: Outdoor Living.Pinterest

Garden activities to look forward to:

Excitement abounds, when getting kiddies involved in the garden. Every new nook and cranny represents a place for children to learn and discover. Hunting for worms and bugs, building a butterfly house or a bird bath are all things that children and adults alike can enjoy together whilst exploring the garden. Traditional sources of amusement such as tree houses and playground sets can also make for hours and hours of outdoor fun.

And finally, anything of enjoyment should be shared with friends and loved ones. Having a BBQ or garden party and inviting your family and friends is a fantastic way of involving others in the enjoyment of your garden this summer. You can use the vegetables grown in your vegetable patch such as lettuce and peppers to make a salad or place on the grill. The joy that care free laughter from children playing, the wonderful smell of meat (or vegetables) on the grill and the constant flow of good conversation will make for warm memories once the last leaves have fallen from the trees and the last evidence of a summer well spent are finally gone.

For more outdoor home ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Home Decor: 3 Ways to Use Old Wooden Crates

1. Use wooden crates as shelves

This one is so easy, anyone can do it. All you need are some wooden crates and the hardware to secure them on the wall (e.g. driller etc.). You can also choose to give them an extra twist using a couple of beautiful brackets for each crate. Another way to make the crates look even better is to give them a nice wooden finish with some wood paint or give them a pop with brighter colored paint. Also, you can choose to cover the back of the crates with some kind of liner, like wallpaper, fabric or other material.

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You can use a self-adherent type to make the make-over even easier. Once you are happy with your crates, you can hang them on the wall either in a nice lined order or mix things up a little and go for an unconventional look by placing them in a more chaotic order. It’s really up to you and on the look you are going for.

2. Make a bookshelf or shelving system out of the wooden crates

Another idea is to use more crates and secure them together to build a unique bookshelf. Painting the crates with bright, fun colors would make them an ideal addition to any kids’ room! You can choose by either stack them on each other or make a more unsymmetrical arrangement by arranging some of the crates horizontally and others vertically. The outcome will be fantastic in any case.  Remember: to keep things nice and organized don’t overfill the crates with books and items.

3. Create some unique space saving furniture

When it comes to using crates, your imagination is the limit. You can put some console legs under a slim wooden crate to create a wonderful console, or just add some smaller legs to make a side table or night stand. Another option is to use the wooden crates almost as they were designed to be used in the first place; to store stuff. Just add some wheels on the bottom of the crate to give it some mobility and you will have the perfect rustic looking storage.

Implementing any of these ideas will add a unique personal touch to your home decorating. And if you really like using wooden crates, think about using them as table décor by adding vases or plants, using them as coffee tables (one large crate or more of them nailed together) or in any other way you choose.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Fall High Point Market 2015

Come to High Point Market with us to see the latest in furniture trends and inspiration for the upcoming season

Developed in partnership with Esteem Media and sponsoring exhibitors, explore the home fashion event of the season with ten of today’s top design bloggers. Use #designbloggerstour to follow their tweets, Instagram and Facebook postings during Market Week, October 17-22. Watch their blogs for in depth information about specific showrooms after October 23… Esteem Media

Join Me as I Head to #HPMkt with #DesignBloggersTour!

Follow me and the other design bloggers over the course of the High Point to see our favorite showrooms, furniture inspiration and ideas for your home.

How to “Join Us” – Follow these hashtags:

Follow the #DesignBloggersTour and #HPMkt hashtags to see the conversation on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

How to Follow Stagetecture:

Follow Stagetecture on my social media networks here: Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest

Sponsors:

Thank you to the awesome sponsors that worked with Esteem Media for this first Design Bloggers Tour.

What am I looking forward to seeing at High Point? 

Since this is my first time I’m super excited to get immersed in the energy around High Point. I have been to Las Vegas Market and love seeing the new furniture, patterns, colors, and trends that will shape your home and the design world in the upcoming season. I always like seeing new furniture that doesn’t look like everyone else’s. One of the sponsor’s – Sauder  already gave us a peek into their pet furniture collection!

What furry friend wouldn’t love this Coffee Table Pet Bed from Sauder?

Bernhardt Furniture and Sauder and just two of the brands we will see at High Point and I can’t wait to have you join us!

-Ronique

How to Find the Perfect Slipcover Size for your Furnishings

Image via: Sproost

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Measure the Length First

Start off by measuring your sofa from the outside of one of the arms to the outside of the other arm. It’s probably best to have a friend help you with this and use a tape measure so that you can get an accurate read on the length. Rigid tape measures wont’ work quite as well.

Always measure twice and write down the measurements. Then, have your friend measure twice. If there are any discrepancies, start over. This might seem like a daunting process, but you will reduce errors this way and save money later.

Measure the Outside Edge

Now measure the outside edge and width. Start at the front outside edge of the chair or sofa. Now, continue into the back corner and then continue around the back side of the furniture. Keep measuring until you get to the front outer edge of the opposite side.

Again, do this twice and have your friend do the same and write down all measurements. They should be the same, or within 1/8” of each other. Don’t overestimate the width because slipcovers tend to bunch in the middle when they are too wide.

Image via: HGTV

Measure the Cushion Height

Measure the cushion height and width in the front of the chair or sofa. This is the area that’s directly below the sofa arms. Measure at the widest point when you measure the length of the sofa or chair.

Measure The Full Height

Measure the height from the floor to the top of the cushion to figure out the lower end height of the slipcover you need. If you have a chair or couch that’s uneven in height, measure at the tallest part of the couch so that you don’t run short. Some slipcovers do stretch, but some don’t so it’s best to be conservative in your measurements when it comes to height.

Washing Your New Slipcover

Most slipcovers from bedbathandbeyond.com can be washed pretty easily, but you still need to pay attention to the instructions and follow them to a “T”.

If your slipcover is 100 percent cotton, this is something you need to watch out for. If it’s pre-shrunk, then you’re probably OK to go ahead and wash and dry it. If it doesn’t say it’s pre-shrunk, assume it’s not. The only way to know in some cases is to ask when you purchase it, or ask the manufacturer.

But, even preshrunk items can shrink a bit more, though it shouldn’t affect sizing unless you already purchased a cover that barely fits. If it’s a little loose now, expect it to be a snug fit after you wash it.

If you’re worried about shrinkage, let the cover air-dry. It’s the moisture and rapid drying that shrinks the cotton fibers.

Eleanor Emmons is a home decorating consultant. She enjoys sharing her insights on interior decorating. Look for her articles mostly on DIY and home improvement websites.

For more furniture tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Furniture Arrangement Tips for Small Living Rooms

 Image via: Marco Cecotto

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Know the Size of the Room

For you to be able to arrange furniture well, you have to know the size of the room. Measure the dimensions of the room with a tape measure as well as the dimensions of the door, hallway, and stairs that lead to the room. If you only measure the living room, you might end up buying furniture that can’t fit through the door. Make sure the furniture you buy is small enough to fit through the entrance and door.

Image via: Material Girls

Select Furniture That is Visually Light

To make your living room look bigger, focus on the visual weight of the furniture and not just the size. Light colored furniture pieces with legs appear lighter than dark upholstered ones. The legs of the furniture offer views of the floor making the space to feel more open. In addition, use a neutral palette throughout the room so as to push back the walls visually. Eyes can roam freely through a neutral palette hence a room looks bigger.

 Image via: Addo Decor

Mix Furnishings of Different Sizes

Every piece of furniture has width, height, and depth. Add visual interest to your living room by mixing furnishings with different characteristics. For example, you can mix a large sectional with small armchairs to create a lively space.  However, if you prefer a serene look, only use similar furniture pieces. These are ideal for relaxation and recovery rooms.

Ensure the Room is Well-Lit

Lighting is a vital element in any space and your furniture placement should maximize the light in the room. Spread the sources of light around the room and ensure every corner is well-lit. Additionally, make sure that the light is well distributed. If you want to make the room look tall, incorporate tall lamps.

 Image via: Cozy Living Room Ideas

When you implement these furniture arrangement tips, your tiny living room will be user-friendly and attractive. Take time to consider your daily lifestyle and your storage needs to create a gorgeous living room that increases your home’s enjoyment. Your family will thank you for it.

How do you arrange furnishings in your living room?

For more living room ideas on Stagetecture, click here.